Yesterday, 15th February, 2013 was Basant Panchmi, the day we normally erect
Holika in Fiji to celebrate the festival of Holi. Next month we will celebrate Holi publicly at Trusts Stadium at Henderson, Auckland on Sunday 31 March, 2013.
Waitakere Indian Association initiated public Holi celebrations in Auckland in
2005, and other organisations have copied this trend in Auckland. The theme of
Holi is victory of good over bad and evil. That is exactly what I am going to
write about, where a poor David wins over mighty Goliath, as Bhakt Prahlad won
over her evil Aunt Holika.

A flash-back to Waitakere Indian Association Rang Barse Holi Mela last year, with yours truly (Thakur) as MC, addressing the audience. Dewa Chaudhry, President of Parupkaar Ramayan Faag Mandali (in red with harmonium) is ready to sing a thrilling faag (Holi song) while DJ Gabbaroo Manish Sharma, the sound technician for the day is all in the joyful mood of Holi in the Park at Trust Stadium Grounds, Auckland.

It is indeed unusual to do a story on oneself, but they
say, if you want anything done properly, do it yourself. One cannot entirely
have faith in Indian Media in Auckland, least of it, Indian Newslink, which has set an agenda to malign me and refused
to publish a right of reply. Hence I will tell what they may not.

In an executive
meeting of Waitakere Indian Association (WIA) on 13th February,
2013, yours truly, Thakur Ranjit Singh was unanimously and with full respect
and honour, bestowed back on the position of Vice President of the Association.
This reinstatement is with a condition that I should not bring disrepute to the
organisation. This will be a matter of opinion, as truth, which, like India, is
the motto of my blogsite Fiji Pundit,
which stands at Satmev Jayte (Truth
shall prevail).

WIA, in August last year was pressured, in fact lobbied
and directed, to sack me by the Indian and one Hindu leader in Auckland in
response to my Facebook posting on reality in India. These, among others
included truth of rampant corruption, black money and mistreatment of women and
low –caste people in India. [You can read those original ‘offending” Facebook
posting on this link:http://fijipundit.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/mera-bharat-mahaan-thakurs-offending.html]

I apologised, though found it strange that Indian
leaders, representing the largest democracy in the world were riled by my use
of freedom of speech, media freedom and freedom to belong to an association.
These are strong pillars of democracy, and one would not be wrong to say that
those from the largest democracy in the world should be promoting the essence
of democracy, and not punishing those who were exercising their democratic
rights. But it unfolded like a script from Bollywood.

In August 2012, I was away overseas and unavailable to
defend the slander and accusations heaped against me. Hence WIA, to diffuse the
situation, suspended me from the position of Vice President. This was done to
protect the interests of WIA which was threatened by this Indian lynch mob (as
I call them) because of threats on loss of sponsorship, used their media and
community influence and financial muscle, among others.

In
the meeting earlier this week, I initially volunteered to withdraw from the
position of Vice President and completely quit to protect the interests of WIA,
as I had no wish to see me sacked again at the whim of opinions by the so-called
community leaders. This was also because of some offending, defamatory and
derogatory e-mails against me circulating
in Indian leadership and there was threat to “disassociate with WIA” as well as
lobby politicians to boycott WIA unless Thakur was removed. However, the
executives of WIA felt that I had done more positive and discounted such
threats. It was recognised that I was voicing truth and fighting for the rights
of others through my blogsite FIJI PUNDIT (www.fijipundit.blogspot.co.nz).
It was resolved that a media statement would be issues out by the President
Sunil Chandra on my reinstatement.

I
am grateful to Waitakere Indian Association for seeing the light and
reinstating me with full honour. This is a lesson to all. Like the theme of
Holi and Diwali, good and truth always win in the end. I would like to repeat
that in whole of Auckland, in fact in New Zealand, Waitakere Indian Association
has been awarded, called and attributed as the best organised and operated
community organisation. The lesson to other Indian organisations is, if they
cannot help, neither should they try to weaken or divide WIA, which in fact,
they need to emulate. This is because WIA has always stood tall in being a clean,
credible, exemplary and effective community organisation; never succumbing to
any form of pressures which most community organisations find hard to resist.
WIA’s reinstatement of their Vice President is a resounding message to other
Indian organisations that it is a community organisation far above politics and
any forms of coercive egoism.

Waitakere Rang Barse Holi Mela last year - the largest and only of its type Holi -in -the- Park at Trusts Stadium Ground in Auckland, New Zealand. You are invited to attend Waitakere Indian Association Rang Barse Holi Mela at same venue on Sunday 31 March, 2013 (Easter Weekend)....Fagun Bhar Baba Devar Laage (In the festivities on Holi, your father -in -law is akin to your brother-in-law.)

To
celebrate the victory of good over evil, I hope to see you all at Waitakere Rang Barse Holi Mela at Trust
Stadium Grounds, Central Park Drive, Henderson, Auckland on Sunday 31 March,
2013. Who knows, in the spirit of Holi, I may be able to forgive the
members of the Indian Lynch Mob, if they are present to face the truth. Ho..ho…ho..Holi
hay…